


Home

by Fricksgirl_32



Category: Backstreet Boys
Genre: F/M, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Parenthood, Second Chances, single parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-08-05 16:01:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 11,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16370702
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fricksgirl_32/pseuds/Fricksgirl_32
Summary: Kevin had found his home, it just took him years to realize it.





	1. Chapter 1

Kevin couldn't believe what was in front of him, he wanted to believe his brain was playing tricks on him but knew that wasn't the case. He looked at the young woman who was sitting across from him, a small bundle wrapped up in a blanket in her arms. They were so young and Kevin's dream was finally just within his reach. In fact, he had just called his cousin who was now on his way down to hopefully take the fifth spot they were needing to fill. 

"Kevin, say something please." Heather pleaded softly.

He didn't know what to say, they hadn't dated long before deciding to just be friends so when she called him telling him she was pregnant, he knew his life would change forever. He also didn't know how he was going to tell his girlfriend. 

"I don't know what to say." Kevin admitted softly. "I haven't exactly been there for you." He had made her go through this on her own as he tried to figure out exactly what he was going to do. 

"I'm not asking you to give up your dream or your girlfriend." Heather said. "I just wanted you to see her and decide what you wanted to do." 

Kevin looked down at the little girl as she slept, she was only a few weeks old. He had gone to the hospital but left before Heather knew he was there. Even though he knew she was his, he had asked for a paternity test in which Heather was happy to agree to. It came back exactly how they knew it would. 

"Can I hold her?" Kevin asked softly. 

Heather nodded. "Of course you can." 

She got up and walked over to Kevin, carefully laying their daughter in her Father's arms for the first time. She jumped slightly but calmed back down as if she knew her Daddy was holding her and she was safe. She had a full head of brown hair like her Mother, but he could see himself in her face. 

Heather watched quietly hoping Kevin wouldn't walk away like her own Father had done or at least let her have his last name. She sat back down watching them bond, smiling softly.

Kevin finally realized he didn't know his daughter's name and looked up at Heather. "What's her name?" 

"Kiara Ann." Heather replied. "I told the hospital I would get them a last name once I talked to you, I didn't know if you wanted her to have your name." 

Kevin knew she herself didn't have her Dad's name and how hard it had been for her when she found out the name she'd been writing her entire life wasn't even the one she was suppose to have. 

"I want her to have it." He said. "I couldn't imagine her having any other name." 

Heather smiled softly and nodded, thankful he had at least given his daughter that. She knew she would most likely be raising their baby girl on her own and had already made plans to move back to Indiana so her Mom could help her. 

"Would you like to come over and spend some more time with her?" Heather asked. 

Kevin nodded as she paid for their meal while Kevin put Kiara in her seat before heading out and to Heather's apartment. Heather had called the hospital so they could put Kiara's last name on the birth certificate.


	2. Chapter 2

They got back to the apartment as Heather let him in, setting Kiara's pumpkin seat down. Kevin unbuckled her, pulling her back into his arms. He had so much going through his head but for now he just wanted to spend time with his daughter. 

"Would you like something to drink?" Heather asked. 

"Wouldn't happen to have any sweet tea, would you?" He responded.

She chuckled and nodded getting him a glass, getting some water for herself before sitting down next to him on the couch. He got a drink before setting it down on the table. 

"Are you going to stay in Florida?" Kevin asked.

"That depends." She said. "Mom wants me to come home so she can help, but I don't want you to think I'm trying to keep her from you."

Kevin realized he had their future completely in his hands and that was a burden he hadn't been prepared for. He looked down at Kiara as she slept peacefully, he was torn in two. He wanted to be there and show her the love his own Father had shown, but he also wanted to see his dream come true. Then there was Kristin. 

She knew he was fighting with himself, she hadn't meant to put so much pressure on him. 

"I'm sorry, I know this is a lot to take in." She apologized.

"No, it's okay. I'm just torn." 

Heather nodded softly, she knew he had just gotten into the group. He'd been so excited when he talked to her on the phone about it. 

"How bout this." Heather finally said, making Kevin look at her. He was up for any kind of suggestion or direction that could work for them.

"Chase your dream, I know you've been working towards it for so long and I would hate to see you give it up. I'll move back to Indiana and make sure you have my address and number so you can call or come visit when you can." 

Kevin looked into her brown eyes making sure she was serious about this. He slowly began to remember what had drawn him to her in the first place other then her kindness. He was starting to wonder why it hadn't worked between them. Was it simply they gave up to soon?

"Are you sure?" Kevin asked.

Heather nodded. "Just know you are welcome to see her anytime and I would never keep her from you." 

He pulled her over to him, kissing her forehead gently. She sighed softly closing her eyes. She missed being near him and in his arms, but knew this really was the best for both of them. 

He let her go as they looked at each other. "I promise to send money as soon as I can." 

Heather nodded and even though the money would help, she just wanted him to be there when he could. Kiara started to squirm in Kevin's arms, getting fussy. 

Not sure what to do, Kevin handed her over to Heather. She smiled, taking her. 

"I'll be back." Heather said, going into the other room. 

"Can I use your phone?" He asked before she disappeared.

"Yeah, of course." She replied before shutting the door.

He picked up the phone from the cradle, dialing Kristin's number. He didn't want her to worry about him. 

Heather finished feeding and changing Kiara before coming back out just as Kevin set the phone back down, smiling over at her.

"Thanks." 

"Anytime." 

Kevin stayed for dinner, taking care of Kiara while Heather cooked. She knew it would be hard raising her as a single parent, but her Mom had done it and so could she. 

For some reason, Kevin didn't want to leave but he knew he had to. His cousin would be there tomorrow and they had an early day. Heather had put Kiara down in her crib before walking out with Kevin. 

"Thank you for letting me see her." He said. 

"Of course, you have the right to see her." 

Kevin smiled softly and knew he was hanging around longer then he should have been.

"I guess I better go." He said softly.

Heather nodded softly. "Yeah, I have to start getting packed up." 

He reached up, running his hand down the side of her face gently before pulling away.

"Sorry." 

"It's okay." She smiled up at him.

He finally backed away and headed down the stairs. She walked over to the balcony watching him head to his car, waving to each other before he left. She sighed softly and went back inside to get ready for bed.


	3. Chapter 3

It was like they were meant to be there together, their voices blended to well for it to be anything else. Once Brian had been accepted into the group and they settled on a name, their management insisted on getting started right away. It had been a long day but Kevin couldn't get his daughter or Heather out of his head. 

He had just gotten back to his apartment, but he knew Heather would be leaving soon and he wanted to see them at least one more time. He didn't know when or if he'd ever see them again. He got up and headed for his phone just as it rang. 

"Hello?" He answered.

"Hey sweetie!" Kristin's voice came from the other end. 

Kevin smiled softly. "Hey, how are you?" 

"Good, on break but I wanted to know how things went." 

"It went amazing, Brian was exactly what we were looking for." 

Kristin could hear how excited he was, happy she had been able to talk him into going for an audition even though he was out of the age range they had been looking for. 

"Did you wanna do something tonight?" She asked, knowing he was probably tired, but wanted to see him.

Kevin bit his lip, not that he didn't want to see her, but he also wanted to see Heather. 

"I think I'm going to turn in early, it was a pretty long day." Kevin answered.

"It's okay, I figured you would want to get some sleep." 

They said bye to each other before Kevin put the phone back in its cradle, taking a deep breath before picking it back up. It took a couple of rings, but he instantly had a smile on his face when he heard her voice. 

"Hello?" 

"Hey you." Kevin smiled.

"Hey, how are you?" Heather asked.

"Good, today went amazing. I can't believe this is happening." 

Heather was so happy for him and knew she had made the right decision in not holding him back. They both went silent for a moment before she heard him once again. 

"Ca..can I come over?" Kevin asked softly. 

Heather wanted nothing more then to have him over. "Yeah, of course." 

Kevin smiled as they talked for a few more minutes before hanging up. He hopped in the shower and changed his clothes before heading out. It didn't take long for him to get to Heather's apartment. 

He knocked on the door and smiled seeing Heather answer it, their daughter in her arms.

"Hey come on in." She moved to the side, shutting the door once he was in.

His heart slightly broke seeing all the boxes scattered around in different areas, he didn't want them to leave. 

"Sorry about the mess." Heather apologized.

Kevin shook his head smiling softly. "It's fine." 

He looked down at his daughter, smiling happily. "Can I hold her?"

She nodded and handed Kiara over to him, smiling watching him hold her close. He smelt so good and had to shake her thoughts clear. She made a spot for him on the couch so he'd have a place to sit.

"You be okay while I pack a bit more?" She asked. 

Kevin looked up at her and nodded. "Yeah." 

She went back to what she was doing, a soft red hitting her face feeling his eyes on her as she moved around the apartment trying to get stuff packed. The movers would be there in a few days. She finally finished for the day, sitting down next to him. She quietly watched Kevin interact with their daughter, he would be such a good Father.

She started to get fussy again and he could feel something heavy. "I think she needs a change." He grinned. 

She went to take her, but he shook his head. "I wanna do it." Heather smiled and nodded as they headed to Kiara's room. She helped him out but let him change her as she looked up at him. Her eyes were still blue, but Heather hoped she would end up with Kevin's beautiful green eyes. 

He threw the dirty diaper away and snapped her onesie back up. They headed back to the living room, enjoying their time with each other and their daughter. It was starting to get late and he knew he had to get back home. 

"I don't want to go." He said softly.

Heather didn't want him to go either. "I know, but we both have a long day ahead of us." 

Kevin sighed knowing she was right. "I know, but it still doesn't make it any easier." 

"Wanna put her to bed?" She asked, seeing the smile on his face.

"Yeah." 

They got the little girl settled down before heading out, Heather shutting the door. They stood there silently not knowing what to say. He was still feeling a slight sting of guilt for putting his dreams first even though it had been Heather's idea to let him do so. 

"Whe..when do you leave?" 

"In a few days." 

He sighed softly not realizing she had moved closer to him until he felt her warmth, looking at her. They were lost in each other's eyes before she looked away, blushing a bright red.

"Sorry." She said softly.

"It's okay." He smiled. 

"Oh! Before I forget." She ran into the kitchen for a few minutes before returning with a piece of paper, handing it to him.

"This is the address and number so you know where we are." 

He smiled taking the paper, folding it up and pulling her into his arms. "Thank you." 

Heather could feel herself melting in his arms before pulling away. "You're welcome." 

They said goodnight before he left and she headed for bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Despite Kevin's days becoming long and tiresome, he spent the next few evenings with Heather and Kiara before they headed back to Indiana. He hated lying to Kristin, but he was still trying to find a way to tell her he had a daughter. 

The movers had packed up her things as Heather got her car ready. Kevin stood there quietly trying to keep the tears from falling. She moved away so he could tell his girl bye. She promised to call him so he knew they had made it safely. Kevin smiled, giving her a soft kiss on the cheek before letting her go, watching them drive down the road, the tears finally falling. 

Those first few years were tough for them as the group worked on creating a fan base. Kevin called when he could and had even been able to get away to come visit. Things became even tougher when they headed overseas to try their luck there, the time zone difference alone made it rough. 

Heather's Mom wasn't happy at first with the agreement her daughter had made, but when he called and visited, she slowly came around. Kiara was getting big and looked so much like her Daddy. Kevin had kept Heather updated on what he and the guys were doing and even sent her a copy of their first album, making Heather an instant fan. 

"Mommy." Kiara said softly.

She looked down at her daughter, smiling. "Yeah baby?" 

"When Daddy coming?" 

Heather sighed softly, he and the others had caused massive chaos in Europe and it was nonstop for them, constantly on the move from one place to another. She loved when Kiara got to talk to Kevin on the phone, she was all smiles when they talked to each other. 

"I don't know baby, Daddy's really busy right now." 

She could feel her baby girl's body begin the shake as she cried, Heather holding her close, running her hand through her daughter's brown hair. "Shhh baby, Daddy will be back." It had been awhile since he'd been able to visit and she was still to young to really understand why he wasn't there. 

"Hey, how bout we go to the park?" 

Kiara smiled and nodded as Heather wiped the tears from her face, getting her ready to go. "Can we listen to Daddy?" Heather smiled and nodded grabbing the CD before they headed out. 

Heather watched as Kiara happily played and for now kept her mind off Kevin, something her Mom wasn't able to do. Heather missed him just as much as her daughter did and looking into those green eyes made her miss Kevin even more. 

Kevin had kept his word and sent money to help her out and it was nice to have, but she made sure to use it for her daughter's needs, working hard to at her job to take care of her own needs. She wanted her daughter to grow up with a strong work ethnic just as Heather had been raised.


	5. Chapter 5

As the years went on and technology improved, Heather and Kevin were able to stay in contact with each other much easier. The internet becoming a God sent with the introduction of emails, webcams, and chat rooms. Kevin and the guys finally started to make headway in the States and the Backstreet Mania exploded just as it had in Europe and Canada.

Kiara and Heather watched everything and anything they could Backstreet related, Kiara learning each of the guy's names. Heather also started to notice Kiara's love for dancing and singing, shaking her head knowing she had inherited her Father's love for performing.

The phone rang as Kiara ran to it giggling happily and picking up the phone. 

"Hello?" She said. 

"Hey baby girl." Kevin answered, smiling as he heard her squeal. 

"DADDY!" 

He chuckled softly, his heart melting hearing her excitement. 

"How is my favorite girl?" He asked.

"Miss you Daddy." She replied.

"I miss you too sweetie and I can't wait to see you again." 

"Daddy come home soon?" 

Kevin smiled softly, wiping the tears away. "I'm going to try." 

"Is your Mom nearby?" Kevin asked.

Kiara didn't answer but handed the phone to her Mom.

"Hey." Heather said.

"Hey, how you doing?" 

"I'm doing good, you just made a little girl so happy." 

Kevin smiled. "I'm sorry I haven't been around." 

"It's okay, I'm so happy you guys are finally hitting your stride." 

They continued to talk before he heard someone coming. "Hey, I need to go but I'll talk to you soon." 

"Okay." 

He hung up his phone just as Kristin came around the corner, wrapping her arms around him. He still hadn't been able to bring himself to tell her about Kiara. 

"Hey, I've been looking for you." She said. 

He turned around, wrapping his arms around her. "Sorry, had something to take care of." 

She looked up at him and knew something was wrong, she'd noticed a change in him over the last couple of years, they all had. It wasn't like Kevin to be jumpy, he was always the calm and collected one. 

"You sure everything is okay?" 

Kevin nodded and leaned down, kissing her softly. "Yeah."


	6. Chapter 6

Millennium soared the guys straight to the top, breaking every kind of record an album could, the announcement of the tour continued the record breaking. When Heather found out they were coming to Indiana and her local grocery store were selling tickets, she made sure to be off so she could try to get at least two tickets, if not three so her Mom could go. 

She almost lost her chance when it came her turn, but fortune smiled on her as they had three left, Heather buying all three. Kiara came home from school and squealed in delight when Heather told her she was going to get to see her Daddy, Cousin, and Uncles live. They were up high in the nosebleed section but Heather didn't care, she was just happy to be able to take her daughter. 

She had gotten Kiara a pair of headphones so the music wouldn't be so loud on her ears and made sure they each had their own shirt. Kiara giggled and happily pointed to each Boy calling them by their names. Heather had wanted to text Kevin and tell him they would be there, but was always afriad he wouldn't have his phone on him and always waited until he texted first so she'd know it was okay. 

"Is it tonight?" Kiara asked.

Heather smiled and nodded. "Yes sweetie, we'll be heading out soon." 

Kiara beamed happily as she ran to her room to get her shirt on, Heather shook her head and chuckled softly. This wasn't just Kiara's first concert, it was Heather and her Mom's first as well. 

Kevin had been wanting to text Heather all day, but their management kept them busy and on an even shorter leash. He was so close to his girls, but so far away at the same time. He had been so excited when Indiana had been added to the list of stops and had hoped he could get away, but that hadn't happened. 

"Yo, Kev." Brian said, walking over to him.

"Hey, what's up?" Kevin asked.

"We were going to go grab something quick to eat, you in?" 

Kevin nodded. "Yeah, I'll be right there." 

Brian knew his cousin was hiding something but nodded before heading back the other way. Kevin pulled his phone out and sighed softly before putting it away. 

Kiara happily sang along from the backseat as Millennium played, she was so excited and couldn't wait to see her Daddy. They grabbed some food before heading to the concert hall. They were high and Kiara had gotten scared, but Heather held her close as they found their seats. Heather couldn't believe how full the place was and had gotten some curious looks.

Heather knew that would happen, there was no hiding her daughter looked a lot like Kevin. She felt her phone buzz in her pocket and set Kiara down between her and her Mom before pulling her phone out. Kevin had texted her.

She opened it. "Wish you were here." It read. 

She bit her lip, trying to decide if she should tell him they were. She knew he wouldn't be able to come out and see them, but at least he would know they were there. 

"What's wrong?" 

Heather looked at her Mom. "Kevin just text me." 

"You should tell him." 

Kiara looked up between her Mom and Mamaw wondering what was going on. Heather sighed and hit the reply button. She took a deep breath and hit the send button. She hadn't upgraded her phone yet so she couldn't take pictures or videos, something she knew she needed to fix so she could send both to him. 

He couldn't believe what he was reading, they were there. He had to shake the tears away knowing he couldn't actually see them, but knowing his daughter was going to see him do what he loved, made him smile. 

"Hey, it's time to go!" AJ yelled. 

Kevin nodded and deleted the texts before setting his phone down in his bag, heading off with the others. 

The lights went off and Heather put Kiara's headphones on, picking her up so she could see. The guys came out and she had to hold onto her daughter tightly, she had gotten so excited. It was so hard to see them, they looked so small from where Heather, Kiara, and her Mom were. Heather and Kiara got wrapped into the music, singing and dancing in place as one song turned into the next. 

The show went to fast and was over before they knew it, Kiara had fallen asleep near the end, the excitement finally getting the best of her. Heather smiled running her hand through her daughter's hair. They waited til most of the crowd had thinned out before heading out themselves, it had been a great night.


	7. Chapter 7

The album was still doing amazingly and even though they had just gotten done touring, Kevin's mind set was to try and keep the momentum going as they headed into the studio to work on their next album, they should have taken a break. Their world was falling apart even though the five of them didn't see it yet. 

Heather had finally upgraded her phone and sent Kevin a video of their daughter singing and dancing to Larger then Life. He grabbed his phone and let the video play, already smiling. He had watched it a dozen of times, but he loved it. 

He watched as Heather opened their daughter's bedroom door, the familiar beat coming through as she danced and sang. He didn't realize just how much she knew about the group until Heather sent him the video. 

"Mommy look!" Kiara said, looking at her Mom's phone.

"Who is that?" Heather asked. 

He smiled hearing his daughter giggle. "Daddy!" 

"Do you know who the others are?" Heather asked. 

Kiara nodded but the video was going to fast. "Mommy! It's going to fast!" Kiara huffed. 

Heather laughed as her phone shook while she moved over to get the remote to pause the tape. The tears were already falling as Kevin continued to watch. 

"Okay, you ready?" 

"Yeah!" 

Heather paused it. "Who's that?" 

"Uncle Nick!" She grinned. "He's cute!" 

Heather couldn't help but laugh and neither could Kevin. 

"Yeah, he is pretty cute isn't he?" 

Heather paused it on Brian as Kevin's smile faded slightly, he felt horrible for not only hiding his daughter from Kristin, but from his family as well. 

"Who's that?" 

"Cousin Brian." Kiara answered happily. "Mommy's favorite." 

Kevin had been floored the first time he had heard her answer the question, but also couldn't help but chuckle when his daughter let it slip their cousin was Heather's favorite. 

Heather paused it on the others as Kiara happily answered, she knew who her Uncles and cousin were. He was so wrapped up into the video, he didn't realize Kristin had came in, she had heard the entire thing. 

"When were you going to tell me?" She asked softly, causing Kevin to jump as the video ended. 

He looked up as fear filled his green eyes, he had no clue she would be back so soon. There was no point in trying to hide it now, she knew.

"Kris..I'm so sorry." Kevin said softly. "I've tried for years to find a way to tell you." 

She could feel the tears falling as she looked away, she didn't know what to think. She was angry and hurt but for some reason she had always known there was someone else, she just didn't expect there to be a little girl involved as well. 

Kevin sat his phone down and got up, walking over to her cautiously. She knew she should be yelling and screaming at him, but instead let him pull her into his arms as they both cried. 

She finally pulled away, wiping her face. "You should have told me, you know I wouldn't have kept you from her." 

Kevin sighed softly, he knew that but he still had been stupid to hide it. "I know, I was young and stupid." 

Kristin looked at him surprised. "Kevin, how old is she?" 

"Seven." He replied.

It didn't take her long to figure out the math on when his daughter was born or who her Mother was. "Heather's her Mom, isn't she?" 

Kevin bit his lip but nodded, Kristin knew they had stayed friends and she hadn't had a problem with it. 

"Were you.." Kristin nervously asked, causing Kevin to look at her.

"No." He shook his head. "We had already broken up when she found out she was pregnant." A small wave of relief washed over her knowing he hadn't cheated on her. 

She pulled away from him, calming down slightly. "Can I see what she looks like?" 

Kevin was shocked at the request but nodded getting his phone and showing her the pictures Heather had sent him. 

"Oh Kev, she's beautiful." Kristin said softly. "There's no denying she's yours." 

"Does anyone know?" She finally asked. 

Kevin sighed softly and shook his head. "No and I've been guilt ridden over it this entire time." 

"Kevin, they deserve to know." Kristin said. 

He nodded softly. "I know."


	8. Chapter 8

Kristin and Kevin decided to post pone their wedding knowing it more then likely wouldn't happen, but it was the best cover for now. It was a shock to the others but they supported them. Black & Blue was released and did amazingly, They went around the world to promote it and the tour. The burnout though was starting to set in and they were at each others throats constantly. Brian and Nick weren't the best friends they once were, breaking the fans hearts, AJ's addictions had gotten worse and Nick sadly had started down the same destructive path. 

Once the tour was over they decided they needed time away from one another AJ finally got into rehab thanks to Kevin's intervention. 

Heather's heart broke watching the five fall apart as it all aired out on TV and the internet. The group had become such a huge part of her and her daughter's lives even Kiara had picked up something wasn't right. 

Very little good news come from the group over the next year, the biggest being Brian and Leighanne announcing they had a little one on the way and Nick was working on his first solo album. Kevin knew he needed to tell his cousin and the rest of the family about Kiara and Kristin had agreed to be there as support as a friend. They finally realized Kevin's heart wasn't with her anymore, it was in Indiana. 

"Hey." Kristin said softly, standing in the doorway of their old bedroom.

Kevin looked up at her, smiling softly. "Hey, you okay?" 

He knew she wasn't but didn't know what to say. "I'll be okay." 

Kevin had helped her get settled into a new home and made sure she would be okay. He still cared about her and part of him would always love her. She had been there for him through this entire ride, seeing the ups and down, the best and worst. Hell, she was the one who talked him into trying out for the group to begin with. 

"Have you talked to the guys yet?" She asked. 

"No, still trying to figure out how to get Brian and Nick in the same room without them killing each other." Kevin sighed. 

Kristin knew there was still a lot unsaid between the five, a lot of regret, resentment, and guilt. It didn't help that the guys weren't supportive of Nick wanting to go solo, then again they hadn't been very supportive of Brian either when he came to them about his heart surgery. 

"Let's go see AJ first, then we can figure out how to get the others together." Kristin suggested. 

Kevin nodded as he called the rehab center AJ was in to make sure he could have visitors and when he could have them. Kevin had set up a day before hanging up his phone.


	9. Chapter 9

AJ was so thrilled knowing his big brother was coming to see him, he had been working so hard to get clean and sober. He was sitting at one of the tables, smiling seeing Kevin and Kristin walk in, but there was something different about them. He got up and pulled Kevin into a huge hug.

"It's great to see you, bro." AJ said happily, letting him go and pulling Kristin in for one as well.

"It's great to see you also, you look good." Kevin commented. 

AJ nodded as they sat down. "I'm still struggling a bit, but I am feeling much better." 

"It's wonderful seeing you not hide." Kristin said.

AJ smiled knowing he had their support made him feel good. "So, what do I owe this pleasure?" 

Kevin looked at Kristin as she smiled at him. "It's okay." 

He took a deep breath and looked at his brother. " I've got something I've been hiding for awhile now and I've finally realized I shouldn't have." 

AJ was worried now, it wasn't like Kevin to keep secrets. "What's going on?" 

Kevin pulled his phone out, unlocking it as a picture of a little girl popped onto the screen. AJ's mouth dropped, he was speechless and for AJ that was an accomplishment in itself. 

"Kev, is she..." AJ asked.

"Yeah, that's my little girl." Kevin answered.

"Whoa dude." 

He looked between the two. "I take it you didn't know either?" He asked Kristin.

"No, I actually walked in on him watching a video of her." 

AJ flipped through the pictures, coming to the video. "Can I?" 

"Yeah." AJ turned the volume down a bit then tapped the screen. He was floored just as Kevin had been as the little girl not only knew the lyrics to the song, but knew who each of them were. It finally hit AJ he was an Uncle.

"I'm an Uncle..." It was more of a statement then anything. 

"Yes you are and I'm sorry for keeping it from you for so long." 

He didn't know what to say, he was still to speechless to form words. 

"Do the others know yet?" He asked.

"No, still working on that one." Kevin answered. They both knew Brian and Nick were on horrible terms with each other, not even speaking to one another. Kristin could see the weight slowly being lifted off Kevin's shoulders as he finally got this out into the open. 

"Wow man, I really don't know what to say. Have you seen her at all?" 

Kevin nodded. Like Heather, AJ's Dad had also walked out. "Yes, even though its been sporadic. I still missed a lot of her life." AJ could see the sadness in his brother's eyes knowing he wanted to be there, but at least he hadn't completely walked away. 

The three sat and talked for the rest of their visit time, Kevin and Kristin told AJ they had decided to part ways so Kevin could be with the ones he wanted to be with. AJ gave them his full support and hugged them both. As they headed out, Kristin looked back seeing a new set of determination in AJ's brown eyes, he now had a niece to spoil and love on. He wanted to be the best Uncle he could be to the little girl who already had stolen his heart.

Now all the was left was telling the other guys and Kevin's family. It was something Kevin wasn't looking forward to, but knew it needed to happen.


	10. Chapter 10

Kevin paced back and forth in the living room as he waited for the others to get there, it had been a struggle but he had finally gotten Brian and Nick to agree to try and be civil at least long enough so Kevin could tell them what was going on and why he needed to talk to them. Thankfully Nick was in the early stages of working on his album so he was able to pull away long enough to make the trip to California. Kevin also told Brian he wanted Leighanne to come if she felt like she could make the trip. Howie finished up with his set of condos he was working on before also heading up. 

"Kev, it'll be okay." Kristin said, trying to get him to calm down.

He sighed before finally sitting down in one of the chairs. "Sorry, I can just feel a fight in the near future." 

Everyone finally made it as they settled down in the living room, Howie, Leighanne, and Brian sat on the couch while Nick sat in the other chair. Kristin was sitting on the arm of Kevin's chair, rubbing his back gently. She wanted him to know she was there for him.

"What's going on Kev?" Howie asked, surprised when he got the call. 

Kevin took a deep breath and looked at them. "I've got something I need to get off my chest and out in the open." 

"Oh so its okay if you need support." Nick grumbled, not realizing he'd been heard. 

"Now you know how it feels." Brian spatted. 

The two glared at each other as Howie sat up. "Okay you two, lets not do this please." 

"Whatever." Nick got up and stormed off, heading out to the back patio. 

Kevin sighed softly as Brian laid back against the couch, looking up at his wife. 

"What?" 

Leighanne just shook her head as Howie got up and headed out to where Nick was. 

Howie found Nick outside leaning over the balcony. He walked over to his baby brother, rubbing his back gently.

"Nick come on bud." Howie said. 

Nick just shook his head. "It's just bullshit, I came to you guys looking for support and you all knocked me down." 

Howie sighed softly, Nick wasn't wrong. "To be fair, we weren't exactly there for Brian either." 

Nick lowered his head, it was guilt all four of them continued to carry with them. 

"Come on, Kevin wouldn't have called us out here if this wasn't really important." Howie tried to reason.

"Fine, but I swear if he says another else.." Nick threated.

"You two won't be around each other for long." Howie headed inside, looking back. 

"You coming?" He asked.

"Yeah, I'll be right there." Nick replied. "I just need a minute." 

Howie nodded and headed back in, sitting back on the couch. "He's on his way back." Howie explained. "And you behave yourself." He looked right at Brian. 

Kevin would have laughed seeing Howie take charge like he would do when his brothers were younger and getting into trouble. Nick finally joined them, sitting back in his chair, making sure not to make eye contact with Brian. 

"Now that that's settled, what did you need to tell us?" Howie asked.

He looked right at his cousin. "Brian, you've got a cousin living in Indiana." 

Attention was now fully on Kevin as both Brian and Nick sat up. 

"Wh..What?" Brian was baffled. 

Kevin nodded softly. "Her name's Kiara, she's nine."

Brian didn't know what to say, he was floored with the news. 

"Kev, how do you know this?" Howie asked. 

"It's okay." He heard Kristin say softly, he was so glad she was there even though they were no longer together. 

"She's my daughter." 

Kevin didn't even dare look up but could feel all their eyes on him, none of them able to fully grasp what he just said. A daughter? 

"Why did you tell any of us?" Brian asked, finally finding his voice again.

Kevin finally looked up and saw the hurt in his cousin's blue eyes. "Because I was young and didn't know what to do, it all happened so fast." 

"That doesn't mean you hide something like this!" 

"Brian calm down sweetie." Leighanne said softly. 

Brian shook his head. "Does anyone else know?" 

"Other then you guys, no." Kevin answered. "I'm going home to tell everyone." 

Leighanne looked at Kristin, surprised at how well she was taking all of this, but she saw something else in her best friend's face that told her there was more to this. 

"Are you two still together?" Leighanne asked, not meaning to sound so blunt. 

Kevin tried to hold it in but couldn't as the tears fell, Kristin pulled him into her arms and answering. 

"No, we've decided it would be best if we went our seperate ways. He's already missed so much of his daughter's life and we've been pulling away from each other for awhile now." 

"That's why you pushed your wedding back." Howie realized.

Kristin nodded. "Yes." 

Kevin finally calmed down, sitting back up as he wiped his face. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys sooner, I just didn't know how." 

"Show them the pictures." Kristin said softly. 

Kevin smiled and nodded pulling out his phone, letting them look through them. 

"Wow Kevin, she's a cutie." Leighanne grinned.

Nick slowly got up and walked behind the couch wanting to see his niece. Kevin smiled softly as Brian found the video, letting it play. 

They all got a good laugh when they heard the little girl call Nick cute and let it slip that Brian was her Mom's favorite, making both men turn red. 

"Does AJ know?" Howie asked, smiling. 

"Yes, we went and told him first." 

Howie looked up at Nick grinning. "We've got a niece." 

Nick smiled and nodded softly, still not sure what to think about it all.


	11. Chapter 11

Kevin had called his Mom the next day, letting her know he was coming home to visit and had something to tell her. She was so excited to hear her baby was coming home, it had been awhile. She was curious though as to what Kevin needed to tell her, she could tell from his voice it was important. 

Once he got there and they settled down on the couch, he slowly began to tell her about Kiara and why he hadn't said anything to anyone until now. Ann didn't know what to think listening to her son, she was disappointed he had hidden her granddaughter from her, but knowing he hadn't completely walked away helped with the sting. He also told her he and Kristin decided to part ways, explaining they had been pulling away from one another for awhile now. Ann was devastated, she had always loved Kristin.

"When do you think we could meet her?" Ann asked. 

Kevin looked at his Mom. "I'm getting ready to head up there now, but I wanted to stop and talk to you first. I know her Spring Break is coming up." 

She nodded softly, pulling him into a hug. "Thank you for telling me." 

He hugged her back. "I'm sorry it took me so long to do so." 

Kevin got back on the road knowing he had a long drive ahead of him, he had been so happy when Heather told him she had finally found the perfect house for her and Kiara, he couldn't wait to see it or them. He hadn't called to tell her he was coming, he wanted to surprise her. 

Heather had finally gotten the last few boxes unpacked letting out a deep breath, she hated moving and was part of the reason it took her so long to do so. She knew she could have moved out of her Mom's much sooner with the money Kevin had sent her, he pretty much made sure they would be set for life. She was thankful for her Mom's help though, especially during those earlier years when Kiara was to young to understand why Kevin couldn't stay, it was a rough couple of days after he did visit. 

She heard someone knock on the door, confused she walked across the living room, looking through the window, smiling seeing who was on the other side. She opened the door. 

"Hey." 

Kevin smiled. "Hey." 

She moved out of the way so he could come in, shutting the door. He looked around the new house. He had walked right into the living room that also doubled as the kitchen. To his right was a closet and a couple of stairs that lead down to a couple of rooms and a bathroom, he looked up and saw a small stairway leading up to the rest of the rooms and the other bathroom. 

She stayed near the door letting him look around before he turned and smiled. "It's really nice." 

She smiled and finally moved over to him. "Would you like a tour?" 

He nodded as Heather showed him around, she had already started turning one of the rooms into a gaming room. Kevin laughed to himself softly seeing the different consoles sitting and ready to be played, he knew Heather was a gamer and wasn't surprised she had raised Kiara as one. 

She took him upstairs showing him around, she let him into Kiara's room as he smiled. She had a couple of Backstreet posters hanging proudly, but it was the keyboard and guitar that caught his eye, looking at Heather. 

"She wanted to learn how to play, so I bought her the keyboard for Christmas a couple of years ago and the guitar for her birthday this year." 

Kevin couldn't help but feel a wave of pride knowing his girl wanted to learn how to play, but was also devastated he'd missed another birthday. 

"How she doing with them?" Kevin asked as she shut their daughter's door, heading back downstairs. 

"Not to bad, she's only had her guitar for a couple of weeks, but she's really improved on her keyboard." 

They sat down on the couch and continued to talk, almost like they were getting to know each other all over again. Heather told him how excited she was when Kiara had asked for a guitar, she didn't just get her musical talents from Kevin, Heather's family also had a long line of singers and players, the talent just happened to skip Heather. 

"I was needing to talk to you about something." Kevin said.

"Yeah, what's that?" Heather asked.

"I finally told Mom about Kiara and she wants to meet her." Kevin explained. 

Heather was shocked, but was happy to hear he was finally letting his family know. "Have you told Brian and the others?" 

Kevin nodded. "Yes and they are excited to meet her as well." 

Heather had already asked for the week of Kiara's spring break off, knowing she had plenty of money to cover the week loss on her check. 

"We could go down there for the week while she's on break, I've already asked for it off." 

Kevin looked up at Heather and smiled, he was ready for his family to meet his daughter. "You guys didn't already have plans?" 

"Not any that can't be rescheduled." Heather wanted Kiara to meet his family. 

Kevin reached over carefully, taking her hand into his and pulling her over to him, wrapping her up in his arms. He knew he was being pretty forward, but he had waited so long to feel her near him again. Heather didn't know what to think but she felt herself relax against him, laying her head on his chest. 

"Kevin.." She said softly. 

He looked down at her, worried he had upset her. "I'm sorry..I didn't mean to be so forward." 

Heather shook her head. "It's not that, I just don't know what to think." 

She knew Kevin and Kristin had broken up, the entire fandom knew. "I guess I'm afraid what happened before will just repeat itself." 

She felt his grip tighten around her, he was also worried. He had been so sure there really wasn't anything there between them, but having her in his arms was telling him otherwise. They were so opposite of each other, but their bond had only gotten stronger over the years. 

He ran his fingers through her hair lovingly. "You know I almost begged you not to go all those years ago?" 

Heather sat up looking at him. "Why didn't you?" 

"I don't know, I guess deep down I wanted Kiara to have a normal childhood without her having to be dragged through all the shit we went through." 

Heather laid back down as Kevin wrapped his arms back around her, sighing contently. 

"Heather, do you want this?" Kevin asked. "Do you want us to try again?" 

Heather laid there thinking about it, she was scared but had wanted nothing more then a second chance with him. 

"Yes." 

Kevin pulled her close, sighing happily.


	12. Chapter 12

"Bye Kiara!" 

Kiara turned and waved at her friends before readjusting her bag, she looked over seeing the unfamiliar car as a surge of hope and excitement hit her. She quickly ran to the door and opened it, going inside. Her bag hit the living room floor as Heather looked up seeing her daughter, grinning happily. Kevin finally turned around, smiling as he got up. 

She ran right to him, wrapping her arms around his waist. He could feel the tears already falling. It had been a long three years since he'd be able to hold her in his arms, she had gotten so big in those short years. 

"Shhh baby girl, its okay." Kevin said softly, running his hand through her thick, brown hair.

"I've missed you so much Dad." She said. 

"I've missed you too, I'm so sorry I've been away for so long." Kevin apologized.

Kiara finally pulled away, wiping her face and looking up at him. "It's okay, I know you've been busy." 

Heather smiled softly watching the two as they walked over to the couch, sitting down. 

"How long can you stay?" Kiara asked. 

It broke his heart but understood why she asked, it's all she had ever known even though it was never how he wanted it to be. 

"Actually, I was hoping to stay until you both got sick of me." Kevin grinned. 

"Really?!" Kiara sat up. 

Kevin nodded. "Course, that's up to your Mother." Kiara looked over at her Mom and Heather couldn't help but smile.

"Of course you can stay as long as you want." 

Kiara went right back into his arms, hugging him close. She hadn't been so happy in a long time. 

"I got a question for you though." He said, grinning happily.

Kiara looked up at her Dad. "What?" 

"How would you like to go to Kentucky and meet the rest of your family?" 

Her eyes got as wide as her smile before looking at her Mom. "Can we?" 

Heather just laughed and nodded. "Yes baby, we can." 

She hugged both her parents happily before getting up and grabbing her bag. She headed up to her room to do her homework, music started to play after a few minutes.

Kevin looked at Heather. "I was never that willing to do homework after getting home." 

She chuckled and shook her head. "Neither was I, but I know how important it is." 

"You're amazing, you know that." Kevin complimented, seeing her face turn red. 

He pulled her over, kissing her softly smiling feeling her respond before pulling away. 

"Does she always listen to music?" 

Heather nodded, smiling. "She's like me, can't stand a quiet room." 

Kevin chuckled as they curled up and watched a movie before supper. They were so wrapped up into each other, they hadn't heard Kiara come out of her room. She watched her parents from the stairs smiling happily. 

A few hours later, Heather was in the kitchen as she listened to Kevin and Kiara singing and playing in her room. She had dragged him upstairs so she could show him how good she'd gotten with her keyboard. They were singing every song they could think of and she even introduced her Dad to some other genres of music he'd never heard of. 

Heather caught herself singing along with them even though she was downstairs as she finished supper up, getting it all on the table. She smiled softly remembering the last time they sat down as a family and ate together right before they moved back home, Kiara was only a baby.

She finally headed upstairs and stood inside the doorway watching the two, her daughter's smile hadn't left her face all day as the music had calmed down to just her practicing on her guitar. 

Kevin beamed with pride as he watched her, both finally looking up seeing Heather standing there.

"Oh please, don't let me interrupt." She grinned. 

Kiara put her guitar down before getting up and moving over to her Mom, wrapping her arms around her. Heather just smiled, holding her girl. 

"Ready to eat?" Heather asked. 

She nodded and grinned as they headed down, sitting at the table. Kevin watched the two, smiling happily. This was what he wanted, he wanted to be with his girls. 

They got the dishes done up before settling down for the night, Kiara had gone into the gaming room to play for awhile. Kevin watched her then looked at Heather. 

"What?" Heather asked softly.

"Nothing, just some things I gotta get used to." 

Heather laughed softly. "I don't let her play on it all day, but you knew I was a gamer when we met." 

Kevin nodded. "I'm not here to change everything she knows, Nick is going to have a blast though when he finds out she's just as big of one as he is." 

Heather grinned. "Maybe it'll pull him out of his wild streak." 

Kevin hadn't thought about it, but maybe it would be the push for his baby brother.


	13. Chapter 13

As soon as Kiara got home from school, they packed up some last minutes items before getting ready to head to Kentucky for the week. Heather had called her Mom to let her know where they were going and asked if she could keep an eye on the house. Kiara was so excited and Heather made sure there was plenty of CDs for them to listen to since it was a long trip. 

"Ready to go?" Heather asked. 

All her daughter could do was smile and nodded, getting into the car. Kevin pulled Heather into his arms, smiling happily. 

"You okay?" He asked.

She looked up at him and nodded. "Yeah, just nervous." 

He smiled and kissed her cheek gently. "Mom is going to love you." 

"I hope so." She said softly. 

They got into Kevin's rental and headed out, Heather putting in one of the CDs as the three of them sang together all the way down, Kevin holding Heather's hand the entire trip. 

Heather looked back smiling as Kiara had fallen asleep. 

"She out?" Kevin asked. 

"Yeah." 

They came to a stop, giving him a chance to lean over, stealing a quick kiss from Heather. She grinned and kissed him back. They finally made it as Kiara started to wake up, stretching. 

"Hey sleepyhead." Heather smiled.

Kiara smiled softly. "We here?" 

"Yeah." Heather answered. 

They got out and headed up to the house, Kiara looking around seeing the trees swaying back and forth. She was awestricking seeing a house in the middle of the woods. 

"It's pretty here." She said.

Kevin smiled and nodded. "Yes it is." 

Kevin let them in as he closed the door, Ann coming out to greet them. 

"Hey Mom." Kevin smiled, hugging her close.

"Welcome back son." She smiled before pulling away, looking at the two. 

"Uh Mom, this is Heather and this cutie here is Kiara." Kevin introduced.

"It's so nice to meet you." Ann said, holding her hand out. 

Heather smiled and shook it. "You too." Kiara stayed close to her Mom.

Heather looked down, smiling softly. "It's okay honey." 

Kiara came out and walked over to the older lady, looking up at her. Ann smiled and got down to Kiara's level. Her worries and fears disappeared when she looked into her granddaughter's green eyes, there was no denying her son was this little girl's Dad.

"Do you like cookies?" Ann asked.

Kiara grinned and nodded, looking up at her Mom. 

"It's okay, you can go." Kiara smiled as Ann lead her into the kitchen, Kevin coming up to Heather, wrapping his arm around her. 

"You okay?" He asked. 

"Yeah, I'll be fine." 

They headed into the kitchen watching Kiara happily munch on one of the cookies Ann had made. She sat down next to her granddaughter as they talked, Kiara telling her about school and how she'd been working on her playing. Ann just grinned and looked up at her son knowingly. 

"She's actually really good Mom." Kevin said happily.

"Well, I wouldn't expect anything less." She grinned. 

Ann could tell Heather was nervous and she wouldn't lie, it was very hard for her to see someone else with her son, but she could tell how happy he was. 

"Honey, why don't you tell me a bit about yourself." Ann said kindly, trying to make Heather feel welcomed. 

Heather looked up at the older woman, not sure what to say. In a way, she felt responsible for Kevin and Kristin's break up. She finally started to open up and Ann was surprised at just how long Kevin and Heather had known each other. 

After a while, Kevin showed her and Kiara around the area, happy to be able to show them where he grew up. Heather felt a bit better after talking to Ann, but she still very much felt like an outsider. 

They had dinner at Ann's and she insisted they stay with her, having plenty of room for the three of them. Heather and Kiara got ready for bed before snuggling down next to each other. 

"Mom." 

"Yeah sweetie." 

"Are you and Dad going to get back together?" 

Heather sighed softly, she knew they hadn't exactly been discrete about it as her daughter turned around, looking at her Mom.

"We are going to try." Heather replied.

"What happened to make you guys not want to be together?" 

Heather smiled softly, her daughter was to smart for her own good. Heather pulled her into her arms, holding her close. 

"We were young and your Dad had some pretty big dreams." 

Kiara went silent for a moment, Heather thinking she had gone to sleep. 

"I'm glad he got to make his dreams come true." Kiara finally said.

Heather smiled softly, running her hand through her hair. "I am too baby." 

They finally fell asleep, curled up next to each other. 

Kevin laid in his own bed, just right down the hall from the girls. He couldn't wait to get Heather back in his arms, but knew they'd be home soon enough. He fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	14. Chapter 14

The rest of the week had gone so smoothly, Kiara had met so many of her family members, including Brian and Leighanne. They had made a surprise trip up, Leighanne insisting she'd be fine wanting to meet the little girl and her Mom. Kiara was so excited and Heather did better then she thought she would meeting the two she had so much love and respect for, but they could still tell she was just as excited meeting them as any fan would get. 

Kiara grinned happily as she rubbed Leighanne's belly gently. 

"Kiara.." Heather said softly.

Leighanne shook her head, smiling softly. "She's okay, I don't mind." 

Heather relaxed slightly but Leighanne could tell she was having a hard time with everything. 

"It'll be okay." Leighanne said.

Heather looked up at her, smiling softly. "I know, it's just a lot to take in." 

Leighanne moved over to Heather, Kiara still in her arms.

"I know it is and even though Kristin's my best friend, I haven't seen Kevin this happy in a long time." 

Heather looked up at her surprised. "Really?" 

"Yeah." 

Heather smiled softly to herself. Leighanne was happy to see Heather begin to relax a bit. 

Brian watched from a distance as Leighanne bonded with Heather and Kiara, he was still having a hard time knowing Kevin had kept silent about it all for so long. He felt someone walk up next to him, looking up seeing his cousin.

"You know, you guys made them both very happy coming up here." Kevin said softly. He knew his cousin was still upset with him, but he didn't want Brian taking it out on Heather or Kiara, it wasn't their fault.

Brian chuckled. "I didn't have much of a say in it, Leigh was very insistent." 

The two men watched quietly, Kevin was glad Leighanne had taken to Heather and his daughter knowing how close Kristin and her were. 

"Does she still talk to Kristin?" Kevin asked.

Brian nodded softly. "Yeah, they are still pretty close." 

Kiara looked up at Leighanne, smiling happily. "Have you got a name yet?" 

"Not yet sweetie, but we're working on it." 

Kiara was so excited about becoming a cousin and couldn't wait for the little boy to get here. 

Ann was so happy she got to spend the week with her granddaughter while getting to know her Mom, but knew they had to leave soon so Kiara could get ready to head back to school.   
They were leaving early tomorrow morning. 

Everyone settled down as the night went on, Kiara falling asleep in her Dad's arms. Kevin smiled running his hand through her hair gently, Ann couldn't help but smile seeing how content he was with his little girl. 

"We better be getting to bed." Heather said.

Kevin nodded. "I know, we got a long drive ahead of us." 

He got up, wrapping his girl in his arms heading for their guest room, Heather following. Kevin laid Kiara down in the bed before pulling Heather into his arms, both of them smiling.

"I can't wait to get home so I can sleep with you in my arms." He whispered softly, making her shiver slightly. 

"I can't either." 

Kevin lifted her head up as he leaned down, kissing her gently. Heather took a chance and teasingly ran her tongue across his lips, hearing a slight moan coming from him. 

He pulled away looking at her. "Tease." 

Heather grinned before kissing him again feeling him gently press up against her. 

"Kev.." She whimpered softly.

His entire body shook hearing her, he knew they couldn't do anything until they got home, but that didn't stop him from tightening his grip on her. 

"I want you so bad." Kevin whispered, his voice deep and husky. 

"I want you too." She replied, hearing him groan softly. 

They kissed each other again before pulling away even though neither wanted to let go, they could both see the need and want in each others eyes. 

"I'll see you in the morning." 

Kevin nodded, giving her one last kiss before heading out. She watched him before getting ready for bed, sliding in next to her daughter. Kevin closed the door and willed himself to calm down, he hadn't expected to get so worked up. He finally made it to his room, shutting the door. He didn't have a choice and needed to take care of some things, finally falling asleep once he relieved some pressure.


	15. Chapter 15

Ann sadly said bye to the three and Kevin promised they would be back to visit soon. Kiara hugged her grandma, smiling happily before getting into the car. Ann pulled Heather into a loving hug.

"It was so nice to finally get to meet you and Kiara." Ann said, letting her go.

Heather smiled and nodded. "Thank you for having us." 

Ann nodded as Heather got into the car, looking up at her son. 

"Take good care of them." 

Kevin smiled and nodded, hugging his Mom. "I will, I promise." 

Ann watched them leave and disappear before going back inside the house. It was much quieter now that everyone was gone but it had been a great week and she couldn't be happier for her youngest. 

They made it back home kinda late and it was time for Kiara to get ready for bed. She hopped in the shower and got her pjs on, running through her nightly routine before getting into bed. Being in the car that long worn her out and Heather knew she'd be out quick.

Kevin stood at the door watching the two, smiling softly as Heather got her settled down into bed. 

"Night sweetie." Heather said softly, leaning down kissing her forehead.

"Night Mom." 

Heather got up and headed out, smiling up at Kevin. He smiled back before moving over to his daughter's bed, sitting down. 

"Hey pumpkin." 

She smiled and hugged him. "I'm so glad you're here." 

He hugged her back before she laid back down, Kevin pulling the blanket up and getting up. 

"Dad?" 

He turned looking at her.

"I love you." 

"I love you too." 

Kevin shut the door, smiling to himself before heading to the bedroom. Heather looked up seeing him walk in, both of them smiling as she opened her arms up for him. He shut the door and walked to her, climbing into the bed and right to her as she wrapped her arms around him. 

He leaned down, kissing her. She kissed him back sighing happily as they made out, Kevin grinding gently down against her making her moan softly. She pulled away and grinned at him. 

"What?" He asked.

"You do realize this is how we got Kiara, right?" She grinned.

He chuckled and shook his head. "I think we're a bit more smarter this time around." 

Heather giggled as she kissed him again. They made love, nothing feeling more right to either of them and Kevin had been right, they were smarter this time. They both knew they didn't need anymore little ones running around, at least not right now. They fell asleep in each others arms, happy and content. 

Kiara yawned and walked into the kitchen, smiling at her Mom. 

"Morning." 

Heather smiled looking at her daughter. "Morning sweetie, sleep good?" 

Kiara smiled and nodded. "Yeah." 

She sat down at the table as Heather put breakfast down for her before she headed to school.

"Where's Dad?" 

"He's still sleeping." 

Kiara's face fell slightly. "Oh." 

Heather sat down with her and sighed softly, neither of them realizing Kevin had come down.

"Sweetie, you gotta give him time." She ran her hand down her daughter's cheek gently. 

"I know." 

"Hey, he's here now and its going to take all of us to get adjusted." 

She could tell Kiara was about to cry as she continued to comfort her.

"What if it doesn't work out between you two again?"

Heather didn't want to think about it, but it was still there in the back of her own mind. 

"Then we'll figure something out to where you two can still see each other, especially now that it's out in the open." 

Kevin went back into the bedroom, shutting the door as the tears fell. He wanted things to work with Heather, he wanted to be there and watch Kiara grow. He'd already missed so much. 

Heather got Kiara off to school before getting ready to head for work, Kevin finally coming out. 

"Hey." She smiled. 

He pulled her into his arms, holding her close. She knew something was wrong.

"Baby, what's wrong?" 

He just shook his head, holding her close. "I'm sorry." 

She looked at him confused. "Sorry for what?" 

"For messing things up." 

"Kevin, you haven't messed anything up." Heather said, lifting his chin up. "We just have to get used to each other." 

"Do you have to go to work?" He asked.

Heather nodded. "Yeah, it's just for a few hours." 

He sighed softly letting her go. 

"I'll see you soon okay?" 

Kevin nodded and watched her leave. 

Time seemed to creep by as he tried to keep himself busy, his brain wouldn't leave him alone. He hadn't meant to come into their lives and confuse his daughter. Heather finally came home as he looked up seeing her come in, smiling. 

"Hey honey, how you doing?" 

"Kevin?" She asked.

He sighed softly as she sat down next to him, rubbing his back. "I think maybe I should go back to California." 

Heather's heart broke. "Why would you say that?" 

"Cause I'm messing everything up." 

Heather shook her head, pulling him to her. "You're not messing anything up, do you know how shattered Kiara would be if you left?" 

"Maybe it would be for the best." 

"Kev, listen to me. It's going to take time, she's not used to you being able to be here. But you can't just give up when things get tough, she'll come around." 

Kevin wrapped his arms around her, he didn't want to leave. Heather held him close, rocking him gently as her hand ran through his black hair.


	16. Chapter 16

Heather was right, things did get better. Kevin went back to Cali long enough to pack his things and sell the house, he didn't want to uproot Kiara from everything she knew and honestly, he liked the idea of living in a small town even though the house was on the outskirts. So much had changed and Kevin couldn't have been happier.

The holidays were here again and Kiara was thrilled knowing her Dad was going to be there this time, AJ was out and working hard to stay clean, and Baylee had made his grand entrance. Kiara couldn't wait to meet her newest cousin and Uncles. 

Kevin and the guys had finally figured out a day to get everyone together at the house, Nick and Kiara wrapped up in a fiece competion in the newly remade music/gaming room as the others chatted and Heather held the newest member of the Backstreet family, watching her daughter give her Uncle the look. 

"Your letting me win again Uncle Nick!" Kiara accused. 

"Dude, she's like so onto you!" AJ taunted.

Nick gave her his best innocent look. "No, I swear I'm giving it my all!" 

He knew his niece wasn't buying it as he looked towards Heather. "This is your fault."

Heather looked at Nick and laughed, she wasn't going to deny it. "Of course, I wasn't going to raise her thinking it was okay to let others slack off just because she's a girl." 

Nick shook his head and finally put some effort into beating his niece. Brian had finally come around, accepting Heather and Kiara into the fold and had forgiven his cousin. 

Howie looked over and grinned seeing the look on his big brother's face as he watched Heather with Baylee. 

"So when you guys going to add to our little family?" Howie asked, grinning. 

Kevin shook his head looking at Howie. "Not anytime soon, but we've talked about it." 

The guys had a wonderful time going up against their niece and spending time with both of them. They even got some of the board games down and played those. Heather finally started dinner as everyone sat in the living room, enjoying each others company. 

She smiled feeling Kevin's arms around her, leaning back against him.

"Hey." Heather said softly.

"Hey." He replied.

She leaned up and kissed him gently, sighing happily.

"You okay?" She asked.

Kevin smiled. "I don't think I could be any better." 

Heather smiled and sighed contently. He let her go so she could finish dinner, moving back to where the others were. Kevin was so thankful he hadn't given up and realized he had finally found his way back home.


End file.
